Quick 5

This week has been brought to you by happy days, screaming nights and Pop Secret Homestyle Microwave Popcorn.

1.  We not only survived our first full week of school.  We nailed it.  We've got it down - the waking up routine, the getting to school routine, the morning without Alaina routine, and the get home and have lunch routine.  Everyone acts like we've been doing this our whole lives, even Joya.  I'm so thankful that God made me a morning person so I can enjoy these early morning things.  And that my children are also morning people, so there is no urging anyone to get moving or get out of bed.  It's just who we are.  When I first realized that I was going to have to park the car and take Alaina into school every morning, I was a little bummed.  Mostly because of the hassle of getting the other girls out and walking from wherever I can find a parking spot during the crazy drop-off time.  But we've dealt with it, and I love watching Alaina at that time in the morning. Her classroom is right inside the front door, next to the lobby and front desk, so I don't have to sign in or anything.  The girls can sit on the couch or chairs if they're available.  Alaina has made friends and it's so cute to watch them greet each other in the morning.  Then about 5 minutes before the start of school, us parents have an unspoken agreement or whatever to have them line up in front of their door.  We gently push them toward the door and they line up, a girls line and a boys line.  Then Mrs. Galloway opens the door and greets them in her soft voice.  She is wonderful at capturing their attention and already has them trained well to respond to her.  Then she ushers them inside and I usher Joya outside, much to her dismay.  It's a lovely morning ritual, and I'll miss it when she's old enough to go through the carpool lane.

2.  The one thing I did NOT plan for regarding school is all the finished schoolwork that Alaina brings home.  My Counter of Doom is already overflowing with our regular stuff; where am I supposed to put her finished work?  And how long is appropriate to keep it before I throw it away?  I suppose I'm going to have to invest in a big plastic tub for her stuff.  Maybe I'll put it all in there and when it gets full I'll let her choose her five favorite things to keep.

3.  Bria has had a rough week, sleep wise.  The first part of the week consisted of her rolling over in the middle of the night, then screaming because she didn't want to be on her tummy.  That woke her up several times at night.  Which then she thought was a good idea, so after she stopped rolling over she's decided to wake up a couple of times at night anyway.  Which has triggered sleep training.  I never had to sleep train the other girls, but I do with Bria.  So last night when she woke up at 2:45 I let her cry.  She cried for an hour.  But then went to sleep.  As lame as the hour was, with Lee and I just laying there awake, I am quite pleased with how it all went.  Hopefully we won't have too many more nights of that.  Everything I've ever read and even her doctor has said that this is the way to go, and that it will only last a few nights.  So, one night down.  We can do this.

4.  In other Bria news, she had her six-month check up last week.  She is 16 lbs 15 oz, and super tall.  She's in the 95% for height and still in the 90% for head circumference.  She is SO WIGGLY that it's getting harder to hold her for very long.  So, in addition to sleep training, we're going to do our best teaching her to sit up on her own.  I'd love to be able to put her on the floor with some toys, rather than having to drag out one of the apparatuses we have for her.  She'll be happier too.

5.  Joya's big news came as a bit of surprise to me.  She has still been using her paci at naps and at night, and I've made it my plan to let her have it until she's three, and then I'll make the Big Trade.  In order to give her fair notice I took her to Kohl's yesterday, where she picked out one of their $5 stuffed Curious George dolls.  I told her that she was going to trade her paci for George soon.  She decided that she would do it right then...but then lost her nerve at nap time.  So I put Curious George high up in the closet and told her it was okay, but when she was done with her paci for good she could have George back.  Well, at bedtime she asked for the George and said she didn't want her paci.  So I put the pacis away and gave her George, kissed her goodnight and put her to bed.  Her resolve wavered a bit, but she did end up falling asleep.  Then at 9:30 she woke up crying for the paci.  I told her that she could do this, and to just hug George and go back to sleep.  She woke up again around 2:45, asking for the paci.  This time there were no tears, though.  She said she didn't want George anymore.  I said no way, that she was doing great.  Then she asked for Grammy.  I told her to go back to sleep.  And she did!  So this morning I threw the pacis away.  We are done with those, about six weeks sooner than I thought.  But I'm so proud of her.  Hopefully tonight will go a bit smoother, but all in all she's doing great.

Hooray for the long weekend!  It might be filled with little sleep for me, but it will be good in the long run.  I can do this.